Liquids on European Planes

Article by: Tom Hall, November 2006

The queues snaking around London's Heathrow airport were arguably the travel images of the summer. If you were yet to hit the road they were enough to induce a shiver of dread; if you were out of the country it was reasonable to question if you'd be let back in. Those days of chaos have now abated, but travellers still face a confusing round of security restrictions before being allowed on a plane. And we've been kicked squarely in the hand luggage.

Previously the traveller's friend, allowing smug grins and smart dashes out of the airport, cabin baggage has become such a palaver that it's not entirely daft to consider giving it up altogether. There have been a few recent changes everyone travelling in Europe should know about - restrictions have now been standardised across the EU, Norway, Iceland and Switzerland. Even if you're only transiting through Europe, the rules still apply.

A Europe-wide regulation should put an end to farcical double standards on flights in and out of the UK.

So how do things stand?

There are changes you may not necessarily have anticipated. Get yourself some sandwich bags - unless you want to wave bye-bye to your cosmetics forever when departing from airports within the EU. Passengers will be permitted to carry small quantities of liquids in separate containers, each with a capacity not greater than 100ml - about a fifth of a pint. These containers must all be carried within a single, closed, transparent, resealable plastic bag, which itself must not exceed 1 litre in capacity. So if you're thinking liquids, think again - unless they're in very small containers. Get your DVT-beating water once you're through customs.

The rules remain the same for the maximum size of cabin baggage (length of 56 cm, width of 45 cm and depth of 25 cm) and for large musical instruments (you can still take them into the cabin). You can also carry baby food onto the plane, but get ready to taste it yourself.

These changes offer some clear guidelines, but other things about your journey may be more unpredictable. There are still lengthy queues at Departures, especially at busy times. Not many travellers know that if you miss your flight because you're stuck in a queue, your airline is not obliged to put you on a later flight (some do, but you can't rely on it). In addition, your travel insurance will not be valid if this happens to you. Leave plenty of time to get through - more than you think may be necessary.

Cabin baggage has become such a palaver that it's not entirely daft to consider giving it up altogether.

What light is there for long-suffering travellers? Well, you won't have to endure a dry throat for long. After you have made it through the Departures security check (and into the magic land known as 'airside'), you can purchase any number of liquids to take on the plane. Your Duty Free purchases have to remain sealed until you reach your final destination.

A Europe-wide regulation should put an end to farcical double standards on flights in and out of the UK. And the trauma of the whole check-in experience could just serve as the perfect excuse for splurging up big in Duty Free.